In typical Gaga fashion, the guest judge for the Top 8 performance night started the show hidden under a blue wig, glasses and hat. But as she became more loquacious, interrupting Nigel, flailing her arms and finding parallels in many of the dances to her own life and career, she came out of her physical shell as well.

Should the show be this focused on a guest panelist three weeks shy of the finale? Definitely not. But she did have her share of valid criticisms and smart commentary, which is more than we can say for a lot of predecessors and fellow guest Rob Marshall.

As for the Top 8 dancers, there were a few standouts — Sasha and Pasha‘s quickstep and Melanie and Neil‘s contemporary among them — though none were received as well as Marko‘s contemporary number with all-star Allison and MelanieandSasha’s pulsing, futuristic girl-on-girl ballet. Both numbers came from choreographer Sonya Tayeh and now rank at the top of her already impressive “SYTYCD” catalog. (Watch them both below.)

And if Marko didn’t move you to tears (like he did Gaga), watch this exchange with his mother, who was in the audience for the first time after flying in from Guam.

Marko, Sasha and Melanie seem like safe bets for Season 8 finale, leaving a spot for one more guy.